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Today on the blog: sharing a little recap of our trip to St. Croix, in an attempt to think warm thoughts on this punishing winter day. Go check it out, wanderlusters.
A little something-something on this eve. Definitely equal parts missing vacation and getting ready for a new kind of vacation: being snowed in. Thankfully we are stocked up on food (thanks to @yellowbirdfoodshed and our chest freezers full of the yummy meats Brad raises here), booze and firewood. So I think I’ll fare just fine. So here’s a photo from a day that was about 100 degrees warmer than Sunday’s forecasted low temp by @jennapowersphoto 🔥🔥 #ohioweather #wegetitall
We’re signing off for the week, heading to St. Croix in the Virgin Islands! Having never been south of the states, I’m so excited to explore and take a little time to warm up before lambing and sowing gets into full swing. Some fun facts about St. Croix? It is the island for which the St. Croix sheep are named, the foundation breed for the Katahdin (the sheep we raise). It’s also the home of young Alexander Hamilton (yeah guys the obsession is real). So I’m sharing a little moment from this Hamilton inspired shoot. Fun and fond memories of this day with people who have become amazing friends. Photo by @henryphotographs styling @auburnandivorycreative paper @cheeruppress ribbon @thelesserbear ✨✨
Definitely still missing the garden as we wrap up a busy week of designing for our friends! As usual, my lack of experience with ordering wholesale flowers left me making things that weren’t exactly what I had in mind. I’m much better when I have a whole big field to choose from, spending the better part of the year planning the perfect flowers, colors, and textures to grow for all of our weddings. I often get asked in consultations if I had some sort of mega crop failure (Asteroid? Biblical plague of a thousand white tail?) if I can still make the flowers. The answer is of course! We can’t possibly grow everything, so we turn to farm friends like @solisagroflowerfarm @gracerosefarm @whitewalnutflowers @theruralsociety @traceyrae_farmerflorist To name a few...and also buy from our trusty, patient wholesalers when we need just the right thing. I’m gonna stick with that, and spend the rest of the winter setting aside my clippers and diving deep into improving our growing methods and flower selection. My big goals this year are to successfully grow delphiniums in the field, have a profitable lisianthus crop, keep up with a consistent sunflower sowing schedule, and finally cutting some freeloading flowers from the team (here’s looking at you, scabiosa) Next weekend I’ll start sowing some perennials in the dungeon. I’ve got verbascum, yarrow, and those sexy delphinium on my list. What else? Anyone itching to get their hands back in the promix?
I absolutely love photos of my garden. More than anything. Designing flowers is so fun, a great challenge, and I love it so. It just can’t compare to the magic of a sprouting seed, an unfurling bloom. I studied botany in college. I know ‘why’ all of this happens. Intellectually, there is no magic...it’s a product of evolution, sexual reproduction, cell division...it’s why the world turns as it does. Nonetheless, these gorgeous angiosperms, fiddled and toyed with by generations of humans to do and look exactly how we want. There’s magic there. Humans who work so hard for beauty. A few of those humans captured by @christakimblephoto ✨✨✨
A peek at one of this year’s highlights, getting to make this awesome piece with @ahernandezart and @mollyeliz57 for their amazing #landoflovebirds wedding this past fall. The vision for this wedding was so unique, and a true collaboration between us and the couple. Adam’s work is typically full of color, but this black and white piece was full of beautiful symbolism for their relationship, journeys, and loves. I scoured the farm for material that matched the vibe, using lots of foraged weeds, misshapen celosias, those sunflowers who had dropped their petals.
Today I’m telling you something you already know: May weddings in Ohio are a good thing. What you might not know, is that it can be a pretty unpredictable month, flower-wise. Doesn’t mean it’s any less beautiful, as evidenced by Maddie’s bouquet from last spring. More at the link in profile.
Looking back on 2018 like ⬆️. It’s been our biggest and best year yet. We grew and made so many gorgeous things thanks to the trust and support from friends and clients. We expanded our little flock intentionally, found new relationships with mentors and breeders and we are so excited for our lambs to be born next month. Next year is shaping up to be another incredible year, full of opportunities for big growth and changes. But for now, I’m enjoying the slower pace of winter. Planning, dreaming, cooking, and cleaning all our closets. Photo of Dottie by @christakimblephoto ✨
If you find yourself heading into the new year with the task of planning a wedding, check out the blog for the first of my month-by-month arguments for the perfect time of year for your nuptials. Because the only deciding factor for your wedding date should be the local flowers that are available, yes? Well, maybe not. But it’s something worth considering, as the time of year can surely affect the look of your wedding. This is truly one of, if not the only times in your life you’ll be making a big flower purchase for yourself. First up: the most underrated month of them all - April. More at the link in profile.
Let’s all drink some wine and air our grievances, shall we? . Photo @jennapowersphoto styling @auburnandivorycreative ribbon @thelesserbear model @foundmodels gown @odylynetheceremony dress shop @lexandlynne_bridal
On the darkest night we’ll burn the candles (I love candles) Photo by the amazing @racheljoybarehl 🕯🕯🕯
Heading to the big city to see the Nutcracker tonight and thankful for friends like @scriptonefour who plan festive things because sometimes the holidays feel like work days but tonight is all Play.
Much to do in the office today, but trying to figure out an outside task that’s *probably* more important but nothing is coming to mind. Loving the short days of December sunshine, eggnog in my coffee, dogs at my feet. From another sunny day at @magnoliahillfarm with @auburnandivorycreative and @henryphotographs
The fun part of doing editorials is taking advantage of the unexpected combinations in the garden, like this ‘strawberry and cream’ bouquet that included new favorites like ‘southern charm’ verbascum, ‘creme brûlée’ phlox, white echinacea, and that ‘starlight dancer’ nicotiana, paired with old favorites like the first ‘cafe au lait’ dahlias, gorgeous @gracerosefarm garden roses, mountain mint, and charming cilantro flowers and seed heads. You just can’t find flowers like this anywhere folks, so you better #knowyourfarmer. As featured on @ohtheheart today... Photo @kyliebrickerphoto Ribbon @thelesserbear
Head over to Ohio’s loveliest wedding blog, @ohtheheart to see more of this gorgeous shoot, chock full of passionate creative work and a gorgeous venue in the heart of the state. Photo @kyliebrickerphoto Florals @oldslatefarm Venue @clarygardens Paper @cheeruppress Rentals @eventsourcerental Calligraphy @viviankammel Textiles @thelesserbear Hair @morgzhair
The farm hosted several fall family sessions and the pictures are just charming, dontcha think? ✨ by @henryphotographs
I have a fondness for pretty winter blooming flowers, like this white poinsettia, the pink cyclamen on my coffee table, the amaryllis and paperwhites in the greenhouse. We tend to stay away from red-and-green plastic stuff during the holidays, and instead decorate the house with potted plants, fresh garland, citrus. The dehydrator has been humming non-stop for about three days now, which is really rather ridiculous but has the house smelling nice and having excessive amounts of things like dried fruit slices makes me feel weirdly content. I always think canned Instagram questions feel forced when I write them, but I sincerely want to know- what’s your favorite craft this time of year? (Or, send me your great-grandmas cookie recipe...that’s the next exercise in abundance I’ll be taking on...) Photo by @henryphotographs, with gorgeous gold ribbon from @thelesserbear
Little bits and pieces from the ground, fence lines, and the pages of a physics text from the 30’s grounded beautifully by paper from @theimaginarybeast and lovingly styled by @auburnandivorycreative, photo by @henryphotographs 💛
Ohioans are happy to see some sunshine today. I plan to spend what little daylight we are given this time of year outdoors...it may be the last decent day for that for a while! Photo by the amazing @kyliebrickerphoto
Lots of sweet and simple evergreen wreaths headed to @theruralsociety for the most magical sale of the year. Get your crew together and make plans to come see us tonight!